There are literally hundreds-of-thousands of pages of carpet cleaning tips floating around the internet. Some work, some don't, some leave your carpet dirtier then it was before. The point is it's hard to get professionally looking clean carpets unless you actually hire a professional carpet cleaner. But if you follow some simple tips that the pro's know you can dang near match that quality of clean.
Heat is your best friend when it comes to cleaning your carpets. If you can get your cleaning solution above 118 degrees Fahrenheit you dramatically improve your cleaning fortunes. Professional hot water extraction cleaning is done between 150 to 200 degrees so the hotter the better.
Besides heat there are two other factors that are important in cleaning the dirt and grime from your carpet. Let's look at all three together: Heat, Dwell Time, and Agitation. Used together these are the three keys to clean carpets. The neat thing about these three principles is that if you can't maximize one of them you can make up for it by hitting the other two harder.
If the cleaning solution isn't hot enough let it "dwell" or sit longer and scrub harder.
Here are some more secret carpet cleaning tips:
1. Carpet detergents attract dirt if they are not thoroughly rinsed from the carpet. Rinsing your carpet after cleaning can help keep it cleaner over the long run.
2. Use your Shop-Vac. If you have a tough stain you can use the suction power of the Shop-Vac to thoroughly extract all the cleaning solution from the carpet. Repeatedly washing, rinsing, and extracting is a good way to get rid of stains.
3. Stopping the dirt before it ever gets in your carpet is a proactive way to keep your carpets clean. Placing rugs inside and outside all entrances to the house will catch and trap dirt that would otherwise get tracked through your house.
4. If you are steam cleaning your carpets your self it is important to vacuum first. Removing loose dirt and debris before hand will allow the machine to do a more thorough job on that deep down dirt.
By following these carpet cleaning tips you too can keep your carpets looking as good as new.
